Producing crops requires several elements: sunlight, water, and soil.

But the key ingredient to any crop is the seed, says Joe Vandiver, this year’s president of Brawley’s Arizona Seed Trade Association.

“You need it to make a crop. Without seeds, you have nothing,” Vandiver said.

Much of its precious seed is produced in the desert between the Imperial Valley and Yuma, Arizona, and production and business relationships flow fluidly across state lines. It’s a multi-million dollar industry, supplying much of the seed needed by vegetable, forage and forage crop farmers in the United States and around the world.

Vandiver has chosen “Seeds: Agricultural Livelihoods” as the theme for the organization’s upcoming 31st annual convention. The competition will be held May 4-5 at the Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona, Arizona.

Although the organization’s name implies it is for the Arizona seed industry, the STAA also includes members from Southern California who often served active roles, including in the presidency. . The latest example is his Brawley-based Vandiver as a North American Melon Crop Specialist for Rijk Zwaan USA.

During the convention, STAA members and guests will hear about current issues and challenges facing the industry, honor longtime member Denny McKay, who served as STAA president in 2006, participate in a golf tournament, We get together to renew old relationships or build new ones.

Keynote speaker Clint Chandler, Deputy Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, will speak on water rights/allocation of the Colorado River between Arizona and California. Other speakers include an update on current legislative issues affecting agriculture in Arizona from Phil Bashaw, Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Department of Agriculture. University of Arizona, Yuma Update on Current Academic Programs by Her Dr. Tanya Hodges, Her UA Regional Academic Program Coordinator for Imperial County, La Paz, Yuma. An update on industry issues from John Marches, Vice President of the Western Region of the American Seed Trade Association. A hemp update from Brian McGrew, Manager of the Industrial Hemp Program, Arizona Department of Agriculture, Division of Environment and Plant Services.

A highlight of each year’s convention is the presentation of scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in agriculture. Last year, STAA donated her over $9,000 to 10 of her students. One of her winners was José Redesma, a student at Imperial Valley College. University of Arizona students include Jesus Andrade, Joseph Guller, Riley Presley, Joanna Sanchez, Jeremy Carr, Jackie Johnson, Isa Valandi, and Haven Geim. Jose Ledesma attends Imperial Valley College. Jaisyn Wolfe attends another university.

“As president this term, I want to draw attention to the importance of Arizona’s agriculture to the global economy,” Vandiber wrote in a presidential message. “Arizona produces and distributes millions of dollars worth of seeds worldwide. Hundreds of seed companies also bring their unique genetics to Arizona for the production of many historic and new crops. The focus of the STAA Group is to better understand the complexities of taking crops from farm to market.We work together with seed companies, agricultural We strive to be the voice of business, growers/shippers, exporters and producers.”

It’s hard to put value on Arizona’s seed industry and its share of the state’s over $23.3 billion economic impact from agriculture and agribusiness. But officials estimate it at tens of millions of dollars. This is especially true when considering not only the vegetable seed crops, but also the flower, grass and forage seed crops grown in Yuma County and other parts of Arizona. Arizona seeds are a major international export crop, reaching markets in dozens of countries from Argentina to Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Imperial County produced seed crops and seedling products on 54,798 acres that were harvested for a total value of nearly $117.7 million, according to the 2021 Imperial County Agricultural Crops and Livestock Report. This is a 23% increase over the previous year.

One of the biggest challenges facing agricultural production across the desert southwest, the heart of the US seed industry, is water.

Major reservoirs are only about a third of their capacity, and water users face reduced supplies after more than 20 years of prolonged drought. Despite above-average rainfall this winter and the onslaught of powerful atmospheric rivers causing massive flooding in California, the availability of water to sustain agriculture remains a major concern. is. Experts warn that demand for water will continue to outstrip supply this year’s wet winter, and that’s true even as it marks a new normal for the West.

“The Colorado River is being more fully exploited due to population growth, industrial growth, increased agriculture, and increased feed for dairy farms,” said Paul Brierley, director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture. “There are more and more demands on the system. Even in the wet winter, it takes a lot of time to refill the reservoirs. Utah wants to install a pipeline to divert the waters of the Colorado River …tribes want their quotas.The River has more demands.”

Cooperative expansions in both Imperial and Yuma counties are involved in a variety of research and testing of new technologies, products and farming methods, allowing farmers to grow crops that provide food and clothing for people around the world. We provide resources to keep you going. produce those crops.

Another concern, especially for the fruit and vegetable industry, is the potential food safety impact of hundreds of thousands of migrants entering the United States seeking asylum walking through border fields. To protect the integrity of its produce, Yuma County has installed portable toilets at various locations along the border at its own expense to prevent immigrants from contaminating crops.

“Illegal immigration doesn’t just affect farming communities, it affects everyone in many ways,” says Vandiver. People may not understand the implications. They don’t think about what it takes to get the lettuce to the store. ”

Right out of high school, Bundivar worked at the University of California, Center for Desert Studies in Holtville, and as a plant breeder at the University of California, Davis. He served there for ten years and enjoyed the job so much that he changed his original aspirations to become a game and fish officer. While doing his job, he managed to get a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and crop science. After graduating in 1998, he joined Keithley Williams, where he spent some time as a product development specialist covering the entire state of California. In 2013, he joined Raik Zwaan USA.

He explained that Rijk Zwaan, headquartered in the Netherlands, is one of the world’s largest private, family-run vegetable breeding companies, with offices in over 100 countries and 4,000 employees worldwide. The two largest crops in the United States are spinach and Saranova Artisan lettuce. Pickled melons and cucumbers are also staple crops. Vandiver noted that his 90% of cantaloupe produced in the United States is grown in Arizona and California, while his 90% of watermelon is produced on the East Coast. .

Vandiver has been a member of STAA for 10 years and was encouraged to join by colleagues in both Arizona and California. One day, he received a phone call saying that he had been selected as the second vice president. Three years later he is president.

“It’s an opportunity to connect in Arizona,” he said of STAA. “Some of my biggest customers are in Arizona…friends and colleagues.”

For more information about STAA, visit your organization’s website. arizonasedtrade.org.